Casket lowering apparatus



Aug. 27, 1935.

J. P. WILKIRSON CASKET LOWERING APPARATUS Original Filed July 19, 1932 Ihwentor JBWiZ/zkww E (lttorneg Patented Aug. 27, 1935 CASKET LOWERING APPARATUS Jim P. Wilkirson, Waco, Tern, assignor to Frank J. Crowley Application July 19, 1932, Serial No. 623,406

, Renewed January 7, 1935 8 Claims. (01. 27-32) to support the casket in position above the straps.

UNITED STATES PA'ENT 'OFFI E" This invention relates to casket lowering apparatus and aims, among other objects, to provide an improved apparatus having means to faci1itate the placing of a casket in position to be lowered into a grave.

In the accompanying drawing, showing the preferred embodiment of the invention,-

Fig. 1 is a plan view;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 'of'Fig. 2 but drawn on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

i Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 3; a

" Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken on line 6-45 of Fig. 1 but drawn on the scale of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 'l-'l of Fig. 1, also on the scale of Fig. 3.

Referring particularly to the drawing, there isshown an apparatus for lowering caskets into graves. Such apparatus consists generally of a rectangular frame I!) adapted to be positioned over the grave surrounding the openingfand having stationary end bars ll androtatable side bars or shafts l2 which are actuatedby suitable mechanism (not shown) located in the housings l3 at thecorne'rs of the frame. The mechanism is under control of a handle l4. Canvas or other suitable straps l5 have their ends secured to the side bars and are wound thereon through the rotation of the bars in one direction to form transversely extending supports upon which the casket is initially placed, and by means of which the cofiln is lowered into the grave through rotation of the side bars in reverse direction by the weight of the coffin. As so far described, the apparatus follows the teachings of the patent to Cordonnier et al., No. 1,780,700, assigned to the present applicant.

Caskets are usually heavy, and as the handles project only a few inches, it is difilcult for the pall bearers to place the casket in position upon the straps because the bearers have to walk close to the edge of the open grave and even then are thrown ofi balance. Many bearers have suffered severe strains and some have narrowly escaped falling at the grave due to the edge of the grave giving away. The present invention provides means whereby one end of the casket may be placed in position on a roller l6 at the foot end of the frame and supported in such a manner that the casket may be slid longitudinally of the frame onto arms l1, I'l carried by'the side bars Upon release of the control mechanism of the rotatable bars, the arms move downwardly and out of the way of the descending casket, thereby permitting the latter to be lowered by the straps in the manner described in the aforesaid patent.

The arms ll, I'l are arranged normally to extend horizontally when the straps are taut, being held against downward movement by any suitable form of ratchet or one-way clutch mechanism. As shown in Figs. 3 to 5, each arm [1, H comprises a housing which is made in two parts 18 and I9, hinged together at the outside as at 29 and being secured together onthe opposite side by a pivoted bolt 2! andby a thumb nut 22. The housing is journaled on the hub 23 of a ratchet 24 which is enclosed by the housing and secured to the side bar by set screws 25. The upper portion N3 of the housing has a laterally extending trunnion it on which are journaled two rollers '27 and 28, the rollers being separated by a stationary collarZQ. The rollers and collar are held on the trunnions by a washer 30 secured tothe outer end of the trunnion. The described construction constitutes a quick-detachable connection between the arms I1, l'l and the rotatable shafts l2. 7 To prevent rotation of the arm ll, I! downwardly and inwardly relative to the side bars,

thereby to maintainthe arms in horizontal or casket supporting position, as shown in Figs. 1,

2 and 3, a pivotal pawl 3! is herein shownmounted in the upper portion [8 of the housing. The housing part It is bifurcated to provide a recess in which" the pawl is located, the awl being shaped to conform to the upper contour of the housingso as to be substantially flush therewith. One end of the pawl is journaled on a pin 32 extending through the forward part of the housing and the other end of the pawl has a hook portion 33 to engage in the ratchet teeth. The pawl is held in engagement with the teeth by gravity and by a spring 3 surrounding the pin 32 and having one end engaged with a pin 35 and the other end engaged under a tail piece 36 formed on the pawl. The pawl may be disengaged from the ratchet by depressing the tail piece, thus permitting arms ll, li to swing freely about the shafts l2. If desired, springs34 may be dispensed with, as the design of the pawls 3! is such. that they automatically latch by gravity when the arms approach the casket-supporting position. l

While as many arms H and ll may be employed as are necessary, four are shown in Fig. 1,

two being on each shaft between the straps. The arms I! are located at the foot end of the frame and the arms l'l at the head end. When the arms are in normal horizontal position, the upper surfaces of the rollers 21 and 28 are slightly above the level of the straps l5 as is the upper surface of roller 16, so that the casket is not frictionally retarded by the straps when it is being placed in position to be'lowered. The roller I6 is journaled on a shaft 3? carried by split hinged clamps 38 secured to the foot end. bar l l When the casket is brought up to the frame end-first, it is lowered until said end rests on roller 56. The casket may then be supported by one or more bearers or attendants at the rear end and slid over the roller- I6 until the front end rests on the rollers of the nearest pair of arms ll, whereupon the casket may be rolled to final position over the grave, at that time resting on both pairs of arms H and ll.

When the control mechanism in the housings i3 is released, the shafts IE will rotate in opposite directions and will carry with them the arms ll, H thereby transferring the weight of the casket to the straps l5. When the arms reach depending vertical position, as when they strike the side walls of the grave, the pawl hooks 33 will ride over the ratchet teeth and the arms will remain stationary, while the shafts l2 will continue to rotate within the arm housings until the casket reaches the bottom of the grave. The shafts l2 are made telescopic, so that when the casket is fully lowered','the straps !5 may be pulled out from underneath the casket, the shafts I2 being then separated in the middle, so that either end of the frame may be pulled from one end of the grave. If desired, boards (not shown) may be placed in the bottom of the grave for the casket to rest on so that there may be a clearance for the straps l5.

When a casket is being placed in position on the apparatus, the center of gravity of the casket may pass the first pair of arms l! adjacent roller l6 and before the forward end reaches the other pair of arms Il This would cause the front end of the casket t'o tilt downwardly, unless suificient pressure is brought to bear on the rear end. To prevent. this tilting action and to guide the casket onto the second set of arms H a pair of guide rods 139 are provided. The rods 39 are screwthreaded at one end into sockets 48 secured tangentially to the upper sides of the sleeves 29 on the arms I'I, and the other ends of the rods are slidably mounted in depending, lugs 45 secured to the sleeves 28 on the arms IT. The sleeves 29 are slightly smaller in diameter than the rollers 21 and 28, so that the casket does not engage the sleeves, Should the forward end of the casket tilt downwardly, it will engage the rods 39 and be supported and guided by them until said forward end engages with the rollers on arms H when the entire weight ofthe casket will be carried by the arms l-'! and N As the rods 39 are slidably mounted in the lugs Al, the frame It can be adjusted to various lengths without interfering with the function of the rods. It is obvious that when the casket is lowered, the rods being carried by the arms I! and ll will move downwardly with the arms and will not interfere in any way with the casket. I

Obviously, the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment thereof herein shown and described. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all of the features of the invention be used conjointly, since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations and sub-combinations,

What I claim is:-

1. In a casket lowering apparatus, the combination of spaced rotatable lowering elements; flexible casket supporting members carried thereby; and a pair of longitudinally extending, casket-guiding members secured to each of said rotatable elements for receiving and initially supporting the weight of said casket; said flexible supporting members stretching between the spaced rotatable lowering elements and lying in planes slightly below the planes of the tops of said casket-guiding members, so that the casket will clear said flexible supporting members when pushed endwise onto the apparatus.

2. In a casket lowering apparatus, the combination of spaced rotatable lowering elements; flexible casket supporting members carried thereby;

a pair of transversely extending arms carried by each of said rotatable elements for initially receiving and supporting the weight of said casket; andcasket-guiding means extending between and secured to each pair of arms; said flexible supporting members stretching between the spaced rotatable lowering elements and lying in planes slightly below the plane tangent to the tops of said arms, so that the casket will clear said flexible supporting members when pushed endwise onto the apparatus.

3. In a casket lowering apparatus, the combination of spaced rotatable lowering elements; flexible casket supporting members carried thereby; a pair of transversely extending arms carried by each of'said rotatable elements for-initially receiving and supporting the weight of said casket; and a guide rod secured to one of the arms of each pair of arms, and slidably connected to the other arm of the same pair; said flexible supporting members stretching between the spaced rotatable lowering elements rand-lying in planes slightly below the plane tangent to the tops of said arms, so that the casket will clear said flexible supporting members when pushed endwise onto the apparatus.

4, In a casket lowering apparatus, the combination of spaced rotatable lowering elements; flexible casket supportingmembers carriedthereby; a pair of transversely extending arms carried by each of said rotatable elements for initially receiving and supporting the weight of said casket; one-way clutch connections between said rotatable elements and said arms; and guide rods extending between and secured to each pair of arms; said flexible supporting members stretching between the spaced rotatable lowering elements and lying in planes slightly below the plane tangent to the tops of said arms, so that the casket will clear said flexible supporting members when pushed vendwise onto the apparatus.

5.'In a casket lowering apparatus, the combination of a frame having rotatable side bars and stationary end bars; flexible casket supporting members carried by saidrotatable side bars; a roller mounted on the end bar at the foot of the frame and extending above the plane of the flexible members; a pair of transversely extending arms between the flexible members and adjacent the foot of the frame; a second pair of transversely extending arms between the flexible members adjacent the head of the frame; spaced rollers on all of the arms and extending above the plane of the flexible members; sleeves 'on the arms between the rollers; and guide rods having one end screw-threaded in the sleeves on the arms at the head end of the frame; depending lugs carried by the sleeves on the arms at the foot end of the frame; the other ends of said rods being slidably mounted in said lugs.

6. In a casket lowering apparatus, the combination of a frame having rotatable side bars and stationary end bars; flexible casket supporting members carried by said rotatable side bars; a roller mounted on the end bar at the foot of the frame and extending above the plane of the flexible members; a pair of transversely extending arms between the flexible members and adjacent the foot of the frame; a second pair of transversely extending arms between the flexible members adjacent the head of the frame; rollers on all of the arms and extending above the plane of the flexible members; and guide rods extending from the arms of one pair to the arms of the other pair and adapted to support the casket when in an intermediate position over the device.

7. In a casket lowering apparatus, the combination of a frame having rotatable side bars and stationary end bars; flexible casket supporting members carried by said rotatable side bars; a pair of transversely extending arms between the flexible members and adjacent the foot of the frame; a second pair of transversely extending arms between the flexible members adjacent the head of the frame; rollers on all of the arms and extending above the plane of the flexible members; sleeves on the arms; and guide rods having one end screw-threaded in the sleeves on the arms at the head end of the frame; depending lugs carried by the sleeves on the arms at the foot end of the frame; the other ends of said rods being slidably mounted in said lugs.

S. In a casket lowering apparatus, the combination of spaced rotatable lowering shafts; a pair of flexible casket supporting members extending between said shafts and having their ends wound on said shafts; an inwardly extending arm on each shaft between the flexible members and adjacent to one of the elements; an inwardly extending arm on each shaft between the flexible elements and adjacent to the other element; and guide rods secured at one end tangentially to the tops of the arms adjacent one of the elements and slidably mounted at the other end beneath the arms adjacent to the other element.

JIM P. WILKIRSON. 

